Benjamin Dreyer
@bcdreyer.social
America's Copy Editor®
author of the New York Times/IndieBound bestseller Dreyer's English and Stet! (the game!) • Random House copy chief/managing editor (ret.) • he/him/his
benjamindreyer.com
author of the New York Times/IndieBound bestseller Dreyer's English and Stet! (the game!) • Random House copy chief/managing editor (ret.) • he/him/his
benjamindreyer.com
Pinned
Benjamin Dreyer
@bcdreyer.social
· Nov 27
Greetings, new people here at House of Copyediting. Besides first-rate, IISSM, prose advice, you'll get:
• a random theater photo of the day, sometimes more than one
• birthday alerts for dead actresses, and occasionally live ones
• Sallie updates
And it's all free!
• a random theater photo of the day, sometimes more than one
• birthday alerts for dead actresses, and occasionally live ones
• Sallie updates
And it's all free!
bonus Helen in She with decorative lummox Randolph Scott
November 25, 2025 at 1:58 PM
bonus Helen in She with decorative lummox Randolph Scott
Reposted by Benjamin Dreyer
What time do you get in?
Officially moving to Chicago tomorrow. I assume JB Pritzker will be waiting for me at the airport
November 25, 2025 at 1:13 PM
What time do you get in?
today's nearly random theater photo:
birthday girl Helen Gahagan, Hugh Huntley, Merle Maddern, and Alison Skipworth in The Enchanted April (1925)
birthday girl Helen Gahagan, Hugh Huntley, Merle Maddern, and Alison Skipworth in The Enchanted April (1925)
November 25, 2025 at 1:53 PM
today's nearly random theater photo:
birthday girl Helen Gahagan, Hugh Huntley, Merle Maddern, and Alison Skipworth in The Enchanted April (1925)
birthday girl Helen Gahagan, Hugh Huntley, Merle Maddern, and Alison Skipworth in The Enchanted April (1925)
In any event, happy Harley Granville-Barker's birthday!
November 25, 2025 at 1:48 PM
In any event, happy Harley Granville-Barker's birthday!
[chotining increases]
November 25, 2025 at 4:24 AM
[chotining increases]
people who are more charismatic than Alan Dershowitz
• El Brendel
• Parkyakarkus
• the Ritz Brothers
• Celeste Holm
• El Brendel
• Parkyakarkus
• the Ritz Brothers
• Celeste Holm
November 25, 2025 at 4:20 AM
people who are more charismatic than Alan Dershowitz
• El Brendel
• Parkyakarkus
• the Ritz Brothers
• Celeste Holm
• El Brendel
• Parkyakarkus
• the Ritz Brothers
• Celeste Holm
Dana Loesch?
DANA FUCKING LOESCH?
YOU MEAN, NRA MOMBI?
DANA FUCKING LOESCH?
YOU MEAN, NRA MOMBI?
November 25, 2025 at 3:59 AM
Dana Loesch?
DANA FUCKING LOESCH?
YOU MEAN, NRA MOMBI?
DANA FUCKING LOESCH?
YOU MEAN, NRA MOMBI?
I BET HE REALLY LIKES IRENE DUNNE AND THE SERIES COMMA TOO
November 25, 2025 at 3:28 AM
I BET HE REALLY LIKES IRENE DUNNE AND THE SERIES COMMA TOO
I think it's because the base films are, in their own demented ways, extremely entertaining.
November 25, 2025 at 3:27 AM
I think it's because the base films are, in their own demented ways, extremely entertaining.
And now we must be friends.
November 25, 2025 at 3:24 AM
And now we must be friends.
(I have it on good authority that the actual MF was highly amused.)
November 25, 2025 at 3:23 AM
(I have it on good authority that the actual MF was highly amused.)
I'd like to think that @ichotiner.bsky.social and I could be just great pals.
November 25, 2025 at 3:21 AM
I'd like to think that @ichotiner.bsky.social and I could be just great pals.
Though let's not sleep on Michael Feinstein analyzing the Gamera song...
November 25, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Though let's not sleep on Michael Feinstein analyzing the Gamera song...
The number of times I have said "That's not Sinbad!"...
November 25, 2025 at 3:15 AM
The number of times I have said "That's not Sinbad!"...
MST3K is one of the great artistic achievements of the twentieth century.
And of course episode 505 is its peak achievement.
And of course episode 505 is its peak achievement.
Today in 1988 Mystery Science Theater 3000 premiered on KTMA in St. Paul Minnesota. #MST3K
November 25, 2025 at 3:12 AM
MST3K is one of the great artistic achievements of the twentieth century.
And of course episode 505 is its peak achievement.
And of course episode 505 is its peak achievement.
my god is that how you spell moccasin?
that's insane
that's insane
November 25, 2025 at 3:10 AM
my god is that how you spell moccasin?
that's insane
that's insane
I know that I will, despite all vows, watch Vertigo again two or three more times before I die, and I don't really know what my problem is.
November 25, 2025 at 3:00 AM
I know that I will, despite all vows, watch Vertigo again two or three more times before I die, and I don't really know what my problem is.
I am not averse to unhappy films; I am averse to films that are cruel and humiliating to their characters.
November 25, 2025 at 2:58 AM
I am not averse to unhappy films; I am averse to films that are cruel and humiliating to their characters.
(At the time of her death she was reading Barack's behemoth and not having a particularly fun time of it.)
November 25, 2025 at 2:57 AM
(At the time of her death she was reading Barack's behemoth and not having a particularly fun time of it.)
I saw it once, decades ago, and I knew leaving the theater that I would never watch it again.
It took me maybe six or seven viewings of Frenzy to say "Why am I doing this to myself?"
It took me maybe six or seven viewings of Frenzy to say "Why am I doing this to myself?"
November 25, 2025 at 2:55 AM
I saw it once, decades ago, and I knew leaving the theater that I would never watch it again.
It took me maybe six or seven viewings of Frenzy to say "Why am I doing this to myself?"
It took me maybe six or seven viewings of Frenzy to say "Why am I doing this to myself?"
Pretty sure that my first ever exposure to Miss Merman (that is, not on the Gypsy and Annie GYG recordings) was on That Girl.
I was fascinated.
"WHERE'S MY MOCCASIN?"
I was fascinated.
"WHERE'S MY MOCCASIN?"
November 25, 2025 at 2:52 AM
Pretty sure that my first ever exposure to Miss Merman (that is, not on the Gypsy and Annie GYG recordings) was on That Girl.
I was fascinated.
"WHERE'S MY MOCCASIN?"
I was fascinated.
"WHERE'S MY MOCCASIN?"
A number of years ago my mother went to a Caro evening, possibly at the 92nd Street Y?, and meeting him afterward she said "I hope I live long enough to read the fifth volume." To which he replied "*I* hope I live long enough for you to read the fifth volume."
Alas, it was not to be.
Alas, it was not to be.
November 25, 2025 at 2:49 AM
A number of years ago my mother went to a Caro evening, possibly at the 92nd Street Y?, and meeting him afterward she said "I hope I live long enough to read the fifth volume." To which he replied "*I* hope I live long enough for you to read the fifth volume."
Alas, it was not to be.
Alas, it was not to be.
Other films that I will never watch again:
• Salò
• Breaking the Waves
• Frenzy
• Star!
• Salò
• Breaking the Waves
• Frenzy
• Star!
The last time I watched it, I made a point of cherishing Phil Silvers's astoundingly funny work because I vowed never to watch a frame of it again, and I'm sticking to that.
November 25, 2025 at 2:44 AM
Other films that I will never watch again:
• Salò
• Breaking the Waves
• Frenzy
• Star!
• Salò
• Breaking the Waves
• Frenzy
• Star!
Eh, you didn't miss much.
November 25, 2025 at 2:41 AM
Eh, you didn't miss much.